Apple iPhone 5 vs. MiFi 4620L Verizon Hotspot, LTE test results

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Thursday, 04 October 2012

Apple iPhone 5 vs. MiFi 4620L Verizon Hotspot, LTE test results

Apple
sold over 5 million iPhone 5’s in the first weekend alone and a lot of
customers have been enjoying 4G LTE connectivity for the first time. The
increased speeds allow customers to surf the web and do things like
video chat that are difficult and unreliable over 3G. Apple’s iPhone 5
has a built in hotspot feature just like the older iPhone 4S/4 and other
popular smartphones allowing you to share Internet connectivity with
multiple devices. Although this feature is a nice add-on to your
existing device, you might not realize you could be getting more speed
with a dedicated MiFi hotspot or USB modem.

To
put this to the test we decided to pit the new Verizon iPhone 5 running
LTE against the Verizon MiFi 4620L Jetpack to see which device
performed better. To keep things fair we tested them at the same
location using the application “Speedtest.net”.
We ran multiple tests using the iPhone over LTE and the New iPad via
the MiFi 4620L’s WiFi signal to see which performed better. After
testing the cellular link directly, we also enabled the hotspot function
on the iPhone and tested Apple’s New iPad with both the MiFi 4620L and
iPhone 5 hotspot. Checkout the video below to see the results in
realtime or continue reading for the results:

Now,
keep in mind that cellular results will vary from test to test, but we
consistently found that the dedicated MiFi 4620L outperformed the
Verizon iPhone 5. The major difference between the two devices are lower
latency which is ideal for VOIP/PBX/Gaming applications and
significantly higher upload performance for anyone that needs to upload
content to the web. Most dedicated MiFi hotspots or USB modems also
feature an antenna port to easily enhance cellular connectivity where
smartphones like the iPhone 5 require a repeater like the Wilson Sleek 4G-V.

So what should I choose for connectivity?

If
you’re a casual user that occasional needs Internet connectivity for a
tablet or laptop computer then chances are the phones hotspot feature is
going to be the perfect solution for you. In fact, the Verizon version
of the iPhone 5 gives you this mobile hotspot feature for free as long
as you’re on their shared data plans. However, one important thing that
you must remember in this scenario is that your data service will be
interrupted if someone calls you because the Verizon iPhone 5 won't do simultaneous voice and data.
Please note, the AT&T version of the iPhone 5 will do simultaneous
voice and data, but they charge an extra monthly fee to enable hotspot
connectivity.

Now,
if you’re using this as a dedicated home/office connection, categorize
yourself as a mobile road warrior or want to play games over LTE a
dedicated MiFi hotspot or USB modem
is the solution you want. The main reasons are for uninterrupted
connectivity, increased download/upload throughput, better signal
enhancement options and lower latency. Dedicated solutions are a great
option for backup connectivity
if your primary connection goes down at the office and your business
requires Internet connectivity to run. Using a dedicated MiFi or USB
modem allows you to also use a 3G/4G router
to provide increased WiFi coverage throughout your home/office and give
Ethernet connectivity to devices that don’t have built in WiFi.